The Most Stolen Cars Of 2004

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), nearly 1.2 million vehicle thefts occurred in the U.S. in 2003, totaling more than $8 billion US in losses to car owners and insurance companies. Those numbers were similar in 2004.

While a number of factors contribute to car theft, certain vehicles are more likely than others to be stolen. In today's feature, we look at the five most stolen cars among newer model vehicles. While these statistics are for the year 2004, obviously not every car on the list is a 2004 model.

As not all cars thefts are a total loss, the average loss payment per claim is also provided. This is the average amount that insurers pay when a claim is filed for a particular model of car.

All estimated values are taken from the Kelley Blue Book and are in US dollars.

The Escalade EXT, like its cousin, the Escalade, comes with tire packages that range in value up to more than $10,000. This makes the EXT a prime target for theft, which is why it's the only car to make this list two years running.

Many thieves simply go straight for the tires, leaving the rest of the EXT resting on blocks. While Cadillac sees this trend as a sign of the car's popularity, individual owners might not be as impressed with the EXT's 20.2% theft rate.

There's nothing really special about this car, so it's hard to see why anyone would risk jail time to steal one. Maybe it's because of the Stratus' reliability or its low gas consumption, who knows?

As a mid-sized sedan, the Stratus is neither good-looking nor distinctive. Perhaps a few people mistakenly stole this car thinking it was their own? There just doesn't seem to be any good reason to steal a Dodge.